Electroforming jointless metal belt

ABSTRACT

A METHOD OF FORMING A THIN METALLIC ENDLESS BELT INCLUDES THE STEPS OF ELECTRODEPOSITING METAL ON A MANDREL, CUTTING THE ELECTRODEPOSITED MATERIAL INTO SEGMENTS AND REMOVING THE SEGMENTS FROM THE MANDREL.

NOV. 1972 J. J. M KlNNEY ELEGTROFORMING JOINTLESS METAL BELT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb.

[I] 7f II INVENTOR.

JOHN J. MAC KINNEY BY ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1-972 J. J. M KlNNEY ELECTROFORMING JOINTLESS METAL BELT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1971 HOLDING 8 TURNlNG MEANS I NVENTOR. JOHN J. MAC KINNEY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,704,175 ELECTROFORMING JOIN'I'LESS METAL BELT John J. MacKinney, Narberth, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed Feb. 1, 1971, Ser. No. 111,215 Int. Cl. C23b 7/02, /56

US. Cl. 204-9 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of forming a thin metallic endless belt includes the steps of electrodepositing metal on a mandrel, cutting the electrodeposited material into segments and removing the segments from the mandrel.

In many critical applications where timing is extremely important and space is limited, it is often desirable to use extremely thin belts or pulleys of precise lengths to control the movements of various mechanical elements. In such cases, it is often important that the flexible belt be also relatively strong. To assure uniform operation for the entire operating cycle, the belt should be free of kinks which tend to interfere with the movement of the belt.

Relatively thin metallic belts have been used in the past. Many such belts, however, are formed by taking thin strips of metal and welding the ends together. The welding of the ends of a strip of metal tends to form an irregularity at the area at which the weld is formed. This joint tends to interfere with the operations of the belt when it is used in critical applications.

A problem encountered in the use of extremely thin metal belts relates to storing, carrying or handling until they are ready for use. Because of their relatively short and thin nature, many of the belts involve special carrying devices. These devices may tend to produce kinks in the belts or cause other irregularities in the belts which produce operational problems.

Electroplating has been used extensively in the past to produce thin layers of metal. In this method, the article to be plated on a mandrel is generally immersed in an electrolytic bath and becomes the cathode in the electrolytic system. Also immersed in the bath is an anode composed of the plating material.

A voltage is applied between the cathode and the anode causing a current to pass through the electrolytic solution, which electrolyzes and plates the cathode which anode material to the desired thickness. In this way articles may be plated with silver, copper, iron, cadmium, nickel and a variety of other metals. Sometimes the mandrel is removed to leave the electroformed article.

While the method of electroforming is generally involved in the present invention, the various details relating to such electroforming techniques will not be shown or described because the techniques are well known to those skilled in the art.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method for forming a jointless metallic belt of relatively small thickness.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved flexible jointless metallic belt having high dimensional accuracy in thickness and length.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a de- IsJired surface finish or texture on the inside surface of the elt.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved method for forming a thin flexible metallic belt wherein the belt may be readily handled or carried without distorting its shape until it is ready to be used.

In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for forming endless flexible metal belts. A

cylindrical mandrel is provided and metallic material is electrodeposited on the mandrel. After the material has been electrodeposited, it is cut into circular segments. The deposited metal is then removed from the mandrel segment when they are ready to be used thereby providing a plurality of thin endless flexible metallic belts.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent and suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, from a reading of the following specification and claims, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 illustrates a mandrel which will be used in the method described in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the mandrel having the electrodeposited materials thereon, in accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the mandrel with the electrodeposited materials thereon, with the material being cut into segments, in accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a segment including the part of the mandrel which is cut from the main mandrel, in accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a segment of the electrodeposited material completely removed from the mandrel, and

FIG. 6 illustrates generally a method of electrodepositing material on the mandrel, in accordance with the present invention.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a tubing 10 may comprise an aluminum extruded piece or other suitable material. In some cases, the tube could be plastic and coated with a thin coat of electrical conductive material, such as silver, to facilitate the electrodeposition. Preferably, the piece used for the tubing should be readily machinable to any desired surface finish. It should be capable of being used as a cathode in an electrodeposition operation either alone or with an added coating. The desired surface finish on the tubing will enable the electrodeposited material to have an interior surface finish as required.

In addition to providing the means for receiving an electrodeposited material, it is preferable that the tubing be relatively thin, in the order of .060 inch, for example. This will permit the tube to have suificient strength so as to act as a carrier for the electrodeposited material. At the same time, the material should be easily removable from the electrodeposited material by chemical means, thermal means, or by a suitable solution.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the tubing 10 includes a metal coating 12. The coating 12 is applied to the tubing 10 by means of electrodeposition. The material coated may be nickel or any other suitable metallic material for use in a belt. The thickness of the material 12 is dependent upon the particular application and may be in the order of .001 inch. It is recognized that the extreme thinness of such material 12 presents handling and shipping problems especially after it is removed from the tubing 10 which acts as the mandrel during the electrodeposition operation.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the mandrel or tubing 10 includes the material 12 cut into a plurality of segments 14. The cutting may be done by a saw, by electrodischarge maching or by any suitable means. The electrodeposited material 12 may be cut down to the surface of the tubing 10 and held there until it is desired to use the individual segments. On the other hand, the individual segments may be cut off the main body of the mandrel 10, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, one of the segments 14 is still disposed on the portion of the tubing 10. The segment 14 is cut from the main tubing and may be shipped individually as illustrated in FIG. 4. The portion of the tubing within the segment 14 acts as a carrier for the electrodeposited material. It is highly desirable to have this carrier because of the extreme thinness of the electrodeposited material. If a proper carrier is not provided, it is likely that the segment 14- may develop kinks to eventually provide faulty operation in this intended environment.

Referring particularly to FIG. 5, the segment 14 is illustrated completely removed from the mandrel 10 or any portion thereof. For example, if the tube 10 is made of aluminum and the electrodeposited material is nickel, a solution of sodium hydroxide may be used to remove the aluminum without affecting the nickel. Plastic tubes could be dissolved by various chemicals. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the segment 14 is ready to be used in its application as a pulley wherein high accuracy is required.

Because of the fact that the tubing 10 was originally dimensioned highly accurately, the dimensional characteristic of the segment or ring 14 is extremely accurate. In addition, because of the electrodeposition process, the ring or segment 14 has no joint, such as a welded portion, and is the same metallurgically throughout its length. In effect, it is a jointless ring of high accuracy which is extremely thin and flexible. The metallic material has high strength as compared with fabric or other plastic materials of the same size and thickness.

Referring particularly to FIG. 6, the tubing 10' is illustrated in an electrolytic bath 16. A pair of anodes 18 and 20 are included in the bath and connected to a suitable source of power illustrated by a battery 22. The tubing 10 acts as a cathode if it is aluminum or metallically coated if it is of a non-conducting material. The cathode is connected to the source of power 22, being connected to the negative terminal of the battery. Well known means 24 may be employed to hold and rotate the tubing 10. The rotation of the tubing 10 is desirable in order to assure that the coating of electrodeposited material on the tubing '10 will be of uniform thickness. Because such holding and turning means are well known to those skilled in the art, and only incidentally related to the present invention, details relating thereto are not illustrated.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a plurality of thin metallic endless belts comprising providing a cylindrical aluminum mandrel, electrodepositing nickel about .001 inch thick onto said mandrel, cutting the electrodeposited nickel and mandrel to form a plurality of segments with the cut aluminum mandrel portions serving as carriers for the nickel portions, and using a solution of sodium hydroxide to remove the aluminum mandrel portions to leave said nickel portions to provide a plurality of flexible endless jointless belts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,607,674 9/ 1971 Lauritzen 204-9 2,499,977 3/ 1950 Scott 2049 440,548 11/ 1890' Elmorr 204l2 1,847,653 3/ 1932 Jones et al. 20425 1,282,261 10/ 1918 Merritt 204-42 1,268,465 6/1918 Huggins 2.04-9 1,555,840 10/1925 Hanley 204-12 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,343 5/1919 Great Britain 2049 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner T. TUFARIELLO, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 20425 

